This week’s Colgate Campus Celeb is no joke. From being Vice President of his fraternity to a mentor for the first-year students, Jesus is really the man who does it all! Read on to hear more about this Florida native.
Full Name: Jesus Everardo Velazco-Salazar
Nicknames: “Jesus”
Hometown: Immokalee, Florida…small town near Naples
Major: Psychology
Minor: Philosophy
Personal Motto: “Remember your roots”
Involvement on campus:
1. New Vice President of Phi Kappa Tau
2. Student Government Association, First year coordinator on executive board
3. Link Staff & Peer mentoring (also part of link staff just a different club)
4. SRS (Sophomore Residential Seminar)—traveling to Istanbul, Turkey in January
5. Started off as Vice President of Club Soccer, but with his amount of involvement, Jesus decided to demote himself to just a member and let somebody else take the role as Vice President
Favorite thing to do on campus: Being able to meet with his Linksters, being a mentor to them is very meaningful to Jesus because it is something that has helped him succeed throughout his entire life.
Was coming to Colgate a difficult transition from Florida? Yes! Difficult because he was being recruited to play football at certain schools as a kicker, and he instead decided to attend Salisbury School as a postgraduate. His community did not understand why he would give up his sport, even though Jesus knew that it wouldn’t help him succeed in the long run. So, overall, transitioning to Colgate and being involved in clubs is more helpful than football would have been. Also, the second time he ever saw snow was last winter! Doesn’t think he will ever become accustomed to the cold, but “maybe somebody out there can keep him warm.”
Any career plans? Definitely wants to go into business, possibly banking or marketing.
How do you balance all the activities you do with your social life/academics? Never stops to think about it…his brother, Angel, motivates him to keep going. Angel is back in Florida and Jesus wants to set a good example. He wants to show Angel that by focusing on academics and becoming involved in school, it can make you become a better person. Regardless of what he’s doing, he wants to show Angel to dedicate himself 100% and to respect people.
Do you ever sleep? “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
Top 5 things to do before graduating:
1. Jump into the lake
2. Skydiving
3. Learn how to ice skate
4. Go abroad (location undecided, possibly Spain and China)
5. Open to everything!!
How do you feel about being Campus Celebrity? Thankful, blessed, honored, and brings joy to his heart!